Barnsley Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This system assists the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with automatic updates on Barnsley Building Society’s changes. While utilising COMPLETIONmonitor is not a prerequisite for Barnsley Building Society , demonstrating you can stay up to date with Barnsley Building Society’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your application to their lender panel and, more importantly, protect your firm’s panel status.

The system creates real-time alerts, automatically produces SRA and CQS reports, and will increase your firm's efficiency. It is also user friendly, cost-effective and, for some firms, results in a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Barnsley Building Society

Lenders often change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Barnsley Building Society are not guidelines, they are instructions from a client. As with many clients, instructions can change - and they do change, frequently:

A Timeline of Policy Changes


Since 2008, Barnsley Building Society has made 306 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 8.9 days. In total, 85% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Barnsley Building Society have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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Frequently asked questions relating to the Barnsley Building Society Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

What is the rationale as to why all property lawyers are not on the Barnsley Building Society Solicitor panel?
Before the recession most lenders had an appetite for risk which was higher than today. The Financial Services Authority in 2010 conducted a thematic review into mortgage fraud which concluded: know the conveyancing solicitors that you are dealing with. Consequently, lenders have regularly sought more information from law firms about their operations and the individuals who work for them and set certain criteria such a completing on a minimum number of transactions. Many firms that have been excluded from lender panels have 100% healthy track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Such firms were never going to meet the criteria of volume of transactions the lenders required.
We are due to exchange on the purchase a house but as a result of damage from the recent storms I have agreed compensation from the seller of £3k approx by way of a reduction in the price. This was going to be dealt with as part of the conveyancing process but my mortgage company Barnsley Building Society will not agree to this. Why was Barnsley Building Society even consulted?
Your lawyer being on the Barnsley Building Society conveyancing panel is duty bound to inform Barnsley Building Society of any changes to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your lawyers to disclose the reduction to Barnsley Building Society then they would have to discontinue acting for you and Barnsley Building Society.
I note that you have a post code search directory identifying law firms on the Barnsley Building Society conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I instruct them for my own conveyancing?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Barnsley Building Society conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
I was scheduled to move into my first house last Thursday. My solicitor is on the Barnsley Building Society solicitors panel but has changed address 8 weeks ago and had not informed Barnsley Building Society of their new address. Barnsley Building Society is now refusing to release my funds as the information from the solicitors isn't correct.
This is as unusual as it is unlucky. Most lender Terms of Conveyancing Panel Appointment specifically oblige the solicitor to inform the lender of an address change. Your solicitor needs to treat this with the utmost urgency. Do speak with or register your concern with the senior partner (assuming he or she is not your direct lawyer). Most lenders would be reasonable in this situation and expedite the resolution of this issue. It may be prudent to enlist the help of your local Barnsley Building Society branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can assist.
In what circumstances might Barnsley Building Society amend or withdraw their mortgage offer?
Lenders such as Barnsley Building Society can withdraw their mortgage offer although this is unusual. In the unlikely event that Barnsley Building Society withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to the reasons why. There are various possible reasons but here are a number of examples:
  • Barnsley Building Society may amend or withdraw an offer if the Barnsley Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor is unable to confirm compliance with any of the conditions of the mortgage offer or if any of the terms of the mortgage offer cannot be satisfied
  • Amendments if purchase price adjusted and the loan to value limits exceeded by this. Please note that Barnsley Building Society conveyancing panel solicitors would be obliged to notify Barnsley Building Society of a change in the price of the property.
  • A cashback to the buyer, or | part of the price includes a non-cash incentive to the buyer (eg paid stamp duty land tax),or | any indirect incentive (cash or non cash) or rental guarantee, of which the lender was previously unaware
  • Where the lender has to take account a recent change in taxation
  • Where the lender is on notice of a restriction or a right of pre-emption which is not at market value
I have instructed a lawyer having checked that they are on the Barnsley Building Society conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or Having read lots of house buying,I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the Barnsley Building Society conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Barnsley Building Society will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Barnsley Building Society will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller. or Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Barnsley Building Society you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.
At last I have had an offer on an apartment accepted, the seller does however have a dependent purchase. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties booked. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What do I do now? When should I get the mortgage app going with Barnsley Building Society?
It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey/valuation, conveyancing search costs, etc). First you should check that your solicitor is on the Barnsley Building Society conveyancing panel. As to the next stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a hot mortgage some buyers would pally for the mortgage with Barnsley Building Society and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.